Assessment of innovative transport concepts using cost--benefit analysis

<title>Abstract</title> New guidelines for assessing the costs and benefits of transport systems have been used in the Netherlands since 2000. This paper reports on the first use of these guidelines for assessment of an innovative transport concept, the Superbus. The Superbus concept combines new vehicle technologies, demand-driven logistics and partly new infrastructure. <italic>Ex ante</italic> evaluation of an innovative transport system proved to be possible but more difficult than that of a conventional system. The main challenge was found in taking into account the uncertainties, not only expressing them as potential extra costs but also taking into account the potential benefits of innovations.